Platen-release mechanism.



B. 1. Dowuf PLATEN RELEASE MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED`APB. 9. 191].

latented Nov. 20

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n e u... s.. il Ja. e.,

BERN-.ann J. lDown, or HARTFORD. connections, assenon To norat'rvriawnrrnn COMPANY, ING., 0F NEW Yoan. N. Y., s. coaeonarion ce* New venir.

rLarEn-nnnnasn iaiecraiiisilr.

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/ball-tULoY/a-it 'may concern." l i f y 13e it knownthat L BERNARDJ. Down,a citizen of the United-Statemand aresident of Hartford, in `thecounty of Hartford and l i 5 State of'Connectlicunhave invented vcertain new and'juseful Improvements in Platen# vRelease- Mechanism, 'of which the following is a Specification.

' The present invention relates generally to l0 shifting mechanism, particularly of the character applicable t0 typewriting mavchines.

Owing to oft-repeated manipulation in the usual operation of devices of this kind, cer- 115 tain parts are, of necessity, subjected to stresses which eventually require that these.

' parts be replaced. 1t is an object of this invention to so construct vice as to necessitate the least amount `of dismantling of it when repairing the'same, and to permit of replacements being made bythe removal of the least number of parts land by parts which are inexpensive and t0 1,196,110 of`August 29, 1916. 'In that patent, the line spacingr mechanism includesA `a pair ot locking members between the platen or platen shaftv and the usual ratchet. One of these locking or movable lengthwise with respect to the platen shaft by an actuating device, preferably extending. through the platen shaft itself, and adapted to engage with said locking member. When the locking member is so moved, fractional spacing may be efected. This invention deals chiefly with an abutment member, independent of the shiftable ormovable locking member, but easily inserted in or removed from said locking member.

'lhe invention tional -spacer for typewriting machines,

55 which includes a movable:diskelike'rnemberspecification@remaniement. Application mea epm e, 1er/ sei-ieu no. leasen.

the shifting def readily inserted in or removed from the 2.5

members is shiftable vin a preferredembodime t The main feature of the invention resides in a fracvlf3 attented Nov, Ell, 7,.

provided with a `removable abutment'mein.- beiffrictionally .seatedV in the lface ci. `the movablemember. U, i l The yinvention Still'li'urthcr .consists 'of al. platen release mechanism inl :which 'thc line 60 spacing' mechanism includes lockingmiem bers, one of which is movable lengthfwise'of the platen shaft to permit of 'fractional spacing, together with actuating `meanslfor f said loclringinember extendinglengthwise 65 of the f platen shaft, and a removable inter mediate abutment' member held lirictionally in the movable locking member and'fha'vvin'g a projection extending into'tlie'fpathf'of movement of vthe actuatingil'meaiisf* The-rem ovable abutment member 'isf "a, resilient characterand olif annulancontir ing tongueln "thefpaticula disclosed itcnsistsoli'h fspli'v ring* 'ai ing 75 an inwardlyprdjecting'tonfg 'and provide'dl with ataperedface' .ivhi iiplemveiita toa tapered .ui'iderc'u't recesslin il` i the' diskrlilr 'movablamenib'ei 'Alsmfi 'theembodimcnt'- crei the platen shaft islprovidedwit1 a the A for the sjaineeh toligfw 1 w'itlV theJPQrtionin elevation' mittednd withferta'in', pa t o 'itte o secti'oji throughthe .platenan ociated :vficesfVv beingftakematan angle'ftofthat ,shown'i Fig. ljaQ ..'tNl Fig. 3 is Va tr nsverse sectiona.lviewf,on the line 3- -3 ofFigQ f... y 'xl Fig. .Ll is ad tailview o'ttlie' ,abutrnfent member. y gj QQ,

, 5 indicates a platen; of. ,a,cminantionaltypeJ will consisting here f of a coreG l and arlubber cov-r ering 7. Oneendotthe platenJ is'provided with a headB' having an inwardly extending, hollow boss Quandfany outwardly extending hollow bosslO. The head `8 is secured tothe` 1h11 platen by means ofthescrews; 1,1 as shown..4 12 is the platen shaftA here shown being. secured tothe platenbynleans of the -setf i I cut 30 of the recess.

shown consisting essentially of two locking members 14 and 15 and the ratchet 16. The locking member 15 is -mounted to rotate freely on the platen shaft 12, and the ratchet 16 is mounted on the hub 1.7 of the locking member l5 and turns therewith. The locking member 14 is slidably mounted on the hollow boss 10 of the head S and is connected with the platen so as to turn therewith. In the present instance, the member 14 is of a disk-like character, but is never theless of ample dimensions or thickness to vmake it durable and to give it sufficient' strength to withstand the stresses to which it is subjected.. In the form herein disclosed the member 14 consists of a hub portion 18 and preferably three outwardly eX- tending arms 19. The peripheral surfaces 2O of these arms are slightly inclined inwardly as shown and are provided with fine serrations or teeth which engage with oppositely inclined serrations or teeth on the annular member 21 of. the locking member 15 for the purpose of obtaining fractional spacing as described in the Hess Patent No. 1,196,110. The locking member 1.4 is mounted to rotate with the platen and is normally urged into engagement with the locking member l5 by suitable means, which, in the present instance, take the following form: 22 indicate pins, suitably secured to the arms of the locking member 14. and hav-' ing extensions 23 which passsnugly through openings 24 in the head 8 and into sockets 25 of the platen. 26 indicates a spring which is seated between the inner end of the socket. 25 and the collar 27 carried by extension 23. The collar 27 is situated part way down the extension 23 so that the end of the extension 23 projects inside the spring 26. The connection just described constitutes in effect 'spring-pressed plungers which Ii'ormally urge the locking member 14 into engagement with the locking member 15 and which at the same time -insure the rotation in unison of the locking member 14 and the platen. One face 28 lof the locking member 14 is provided with an annular recess 29 having a tapered undercut 30 as shown. In this tapered undercut nis seated an abutment member 31here. shown as a split ring having its outer peripheral face 32 tapered as shown to correspond to the tapered under- This member 3l iS provided with an inwardly projecting tongue which projects through the open channel 34, ot' the hollow boss 10 and extends into the channel of the platen shaft I2. Suitable actuating means, here shown as a rod 36, extends throligh the channel in the platen shaft l2 and is operated from the end ofthe same by means of the push button 37. It will be observed that the end of the rod 36 comes in contact With the tongue of the abutment member andreceives the thrust of site to the split in the ring,

the same when it is desired to disengage the locking members 14 and 15. The abutment member 31 is frictionally seated in the recess 29 and when so seated is held in place by its resiliency, the tapered faces 30 and cooperating to lock the parts together. It will be readily understood that, if for any reason it is Adesired to renew the abutment member 31, it can be accomplished merely by contracting the split ring and sliding it out of the recess 29 and that another member can be substituted in place thereof without materially dismantling the parts. The split ring therefore serves the threefold purpose of permitting its insertion, retention and removal from the locking member 14. In practice it has been found advantageous to form the Isplit ring and tongue in one piece, and to have the tongue' circumferentially oppoas shown in Fig. 4, since the'location of the tongue at this point tends to reinforce the abutment member as a whole and serves to give it a definite and relatively rigid point from which its free ends may expand.

As is customary in devices of this character, the platen shaft l2 is provided with a suitable knob or t'wirler 38, the bushing 39 of which overhangs the ends of the platen shaft and issecured to the platen shaft as by the set screw 40. The outer end of the bushing 39 is here slightly enlarged interiorly as at 41 to afford space for the stop member 42 carried by the rod 36 and push button 37. The inward movement of the push button 37 is limited by the stop member 42 coming in contact with the end of the platen shaft, and its outward movement is limited hv the set screw 43. 44 indicates, in a general way, suitable framework for the device.

Normally the locking members 14 and 15 are in engagement with each other owing to the action of the springs 26, and, when so engaged, the ratchet 16 and the platen 5 are connected so that the device may be operated as a line spacing mechanism in a manner well known in the art. IVhen it is desired to obtain fractional spacing, the push button 37 is pressed inwardly thereby causing' the end of the rod 36 to engage the tongue 33 of the abutment member 31 and effecting a movement of the locking member 14 out of engagement with the locking member 15; This releases the platen 5 from the ratchet 16. At such times, therefore, the platen may be turned fractional distances by operating the twirler 33 in either direction. lVhen pressure is removed from the push button 3T. the springs 26 immediately 'cause the locking member 14 to be moved'into engagement adjusted position without slippage of the parts owing to the-fine serrations or teeth al 20 and 21.

lil

ina-asas porting means, a member shiftable with re,

spect tosaid supporting means and having an undercut recess. an annular resilient abutment member, having an inwardly projecting tongue, removably-seated in said recess and held there by friction, and, means for engaging the projecting tongue to move the shift-able member.

3. Shifting mechanism comprising: supporting means, member shiftable with re-.

spect to said supporting means and having a tapered undercut r'cess` a split ring of resilient material, .having a tapered face complementary to the taper of the recess, seat-e'd in-said recess, said ring being split to permit of its insertion, retention and removal, and said ring having further an in- `wardly projecting tongue, and means for en- `gaging the projecting tongue to `move, the

shiftable member. f'

4. Shifting mechanism comprisinv'; supporting means, a member shiftable with respect to said supporting means and having` a tapered undercut recess, a ,split ring of resilient material, having a tapered face complementary to the taper of the recess, seated in said recess, said ring Vbeing split to permit of its insertion, retention and removalf, and said ring having further an inwardly projecting' tongue formed vintegrally therewith and located circumferentially opposite to the s'plit in'the ring, and means for engaging .theprojecting tongue to move the shiftable member.

5. A fractional spacer for typewriting 'machines including: a movable disk-like mem'- ber, and an annular resilient abutment member removably'seated in the face of said movable member and held frictionally 'by its` resilience, said abutment member having a projecting portion.

6. A fractional spacer for typewriting Inachines including: a movable 'disk-like member having an undercut recess in its face, and an annular resilient abutment member, havinganv inwardly `projecting tongue, removably seated in said recess and held there by friction.

7. A fractional spacer for typewriting machines. including: a movable disk-like `member having a tapered undercut recess in its face, and a split ring ofl resilient ma terial having a tapered face complementary to the taper of the recess, seated in saidl recess, said ring being split to permit of its insertiomretention and removal, andhaving` further an inwardly projecting tongue.

8. A fractional spa-cer for typewriting machines` includingt 'a movable disk-like member having a tapered undercut recess in its face,`and a split ring of resilientmaterial having a tapered face complementary to the taper of the recess, seated in said recess, said ring being split to permit of its insertion,'retention and removal, and'havfurther an inwardly projecting tongue lformed integrallyT therewith and located circumferentially opposite to the split in the ring. l Y

9. Platen release mechanism for typewriting machines comprising: a platen shaft, line spacing mechanism including locking members, one of which is movable lengthwise with respect to the platen shaft to permit of fractionalspacing, actuating means ertending lengthwise of the platen shaft for effecting the lengthwise movement of the locking member, andan intermediate annular 'resilient abutment member remov ably seated in said movable locking member and held Africtionally by itsresilience, said abutment member having a portion extending into the path of movement of the actuating means.

10. Platen release mechanism. writing machines comprisingz. a platen shaft, line spacing mechanism including locking members, one of which is of disklike formation with an undercut recess in its face and movable lengthwise with respect t the-platen shaft to permit of fractional for. typelspacing, actuating meansl extending lengthwise of the platen shaft'for effecting the lengthwise m'ovement'of the locking member, and an annular resilient abutment member, having an. inwardly projecting tongue, removably seated in said recess-and held there by friction.-

11. Platen release mechanism for typewriting machines comprising: a. platen shaft having a longitudinal channel, line spacing vmechanism including locking members, one

of which is of disk-like formation with a tapered undercutrecess in its face and movable lengthwise with respect to the platen shaft to permit of fractional spacing, a split ring ofresilient 'material .having a tapered face complementary to the taper of the recess, seated in said recess, said ring being split to permit of its insertion, retention and removal, and having further an inwardly projecting tongue extending into the vchannel of the platen shaft, and actuating means extending lengthwise in the channel of the platen shaft for engaging the inwardly projecting tongue.

12. PlatenA release mechanism for typewriting machines comprising: a platen shaft having a longitudinal channel, line spacing ica iis

izo

extending into the channel of the platen shaft, and actuating means extending 15 lengthwise in the channel of the platen shaft for engaging the inwardly1 projecting tongue.

Signed at Hartford, in the countyy of Hartford and State of Connecticut, this 20 fifth day of April, 1917.

BERNARD J. DOWD.

Witnesses:

M. H. FLYNN, F.' H. VAN AUsnALL. 

